City Council Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Hearing on Dockets #1434, #1511, #1514-#1518, #1540-#1542 and #1544

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Four Million One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($4,125,000.00) in the form of a grant, FY24 Public Safety & Security to be administered by the Police Department. The grant would fund the costs associated with providing Enhanced 911 services.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Million One Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Eighty-Nine Dollars and Nine cents ($1,181,789.09) in the form of a grant, for the FY21 AFG Health & Wellness, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund safety training and fitness equipment to support officer health and wellness.

 Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Five Hundred Thirty-Three Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($533,200.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY23 Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA, awarded by the United States Department of Justice to be administered by the Police Department. The grant will fund an increase in the number of cases where suspect DNA was identified, and increase in the number of convictions resulting from prosecution. 

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Three Hundred Seventeen Thousand Eighty-Two Dollars ($317,082.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY23 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program, awarded by the United States Department of Justice to be administered by the Police Department. The grant will fund two Criminalist positions, overtime, lab supplies equipment, and continuing education expenses.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of forty-Nine Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Three Dollars and Sixty cents ($49,173.60) in the form of a grant, for the FY23 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant, awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund the purchase of active shooter response gear, including ballistic vests and ballistic helmets. 

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Twenty-Four Thousand Dollars ($24,000.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY22 Port Security Grant, awarded by the United States Department of Homeland Security and to be administered by the Fire Department. The grant will fund a third-party training consultant to deliver eight (8) half-day (4 hour) sessions of Module1 of the Harbor Incident Response Training. 

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Sixteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Seven Dollars ($16,387.00) in the form of a grant, for the FY23 Port Security Grant Program, awarded by the United States Department of Homeland Security to be administered by the Police Department. The grant will fund installation of two On-Demand Side Sonar Units onto Boston Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit vessels. 

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of One Million One Hundred Twenty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Six Dollars ($1,124,566.00) in the form of a grant, FY2023 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-based Program (COSSUP) Grant, awarded by United States Department of Justice to be administered by the Police Department.

Message and Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Four Hundred Eighty-One Thousand Nine Hundred Nineteen Dollars ($481,919.00) in the form of a grant, FY23 Byrne Justice AssistanceGrant - Local Allocation, awarded by United States Department Of Justice to be administered by the Police Department. The grant would fund a Domestic Violence Management Analyst at the Family Justice Center, a Hub & Center of Responsibility Coordinator, and a Technology Coordinator for multiple data collection, reporting and records management systems.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Four Hundred Forty-Six Thousand Four Hundred Six Dollars and Nine cents ($446,406.09) in the form of a grant, FY24 State 911 Training Grant, awarded by MA Executive Office of Public Safety & Security to be administered by the Police Department.

Message and order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Seventy Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Two Dollars ($70,172.00) in the form of a grant, Federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Reallocation, awarded by United States Department Of Justice, passed through the MA Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, to be administered by the Police Department.

These matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and referred to the Committee on September 13, 27, and October 4, 2023.

NOTICE:  The Boston City Council may have a quorum in attendance due to standing committees of the City Council consisting of both voting and non-voting members.  However, members attending this duly posted meeting are participating and deliberating only in conjunction with the business of the standing committee.

Public Testimony

Members of the public are cordially invited to attend and testify.  If you have not testified at a Council hearing before, please arrive five (5) minutes before the call of the hearing to sign up and become familiar with the hearing format, testimony locations and sound system.  Please bring fifteen (15) copies of any written documentation you wish to present at the hearing.  

The public may also watch this hearing via live stream at boston.gov/city-council-tv. Members of the public wishing to testify virtually via videoconference should email the staff contact for a link and instructions to do so. Written comments may be sent to the Committee or staff email (below) and will be made a part of the record and available to all Councilors. 

Staff Contact: Ron Cobb

Committee Email:  ccc.ps@boston.gov

Staff Email:  ron.cobb@boston.gov   Staff Telephone:  (617) 635-3040

Broadcast Live on Xfinity 8/RCN 82/ Fios 964 and streamed at: boston.gov/city-council-tv